Maine Senate Confirms New and Returning Members to Maine's State Workforce Board

May 25, 2023

For Immediate Release: May 25, 2023

Maine Senate Confirms New and Returning Members to Maine's State Workforce Board

AUGUSTA - The Maine Senate confirmed eight new nominees to the State Workforce Board (SWB), as well as four returning members, in a vote held Thursday morning. The eight new SWB members, nominated by Governor Janet Mills, are Al M. Harris of Waterville, Briana Warner of Cumberland, Michael Tyler of Camden, Corinne Watson of Oakfield, Tuesdi Woodworth of Searsmont, Melissa Hue of Portland, David J. Dunning of Orrington, and Alexander Rodman Rogers of Manchester. The four reappointed members are Allyson Coombs of Brunswick, Jennifer Fullmer of Brunswick, Colleen Hilton of South Portland, and John Leavitt of Saco.

"The work of the State Workforce Board to align our economic and workforce development goals has never been more important to Mainers and our businesses. With the confirmation vote by the Maine Senate the State Workforce Board has gained eight new exceptional leaders who will work to address the pressing needs of both Maine employers and workers, including connecting them with a skilled workforce and high demand jobs," said State Workforce Board Chair Guy Langevin. "These individuals are qualified, and well respected in their fields, representing a number of Maine industries. Their expertise will be beneficial to the State Workforce Board as it tackles the important work ahead. We are also glad to see experienced leaders returning to the Board that have added valuable insights to our collective work."

The State Workforce Board (SWB) is an employer-led board whose purpose is to ensure that Maine's workforce development system helps Maine people and businesses compete successfully in the global economy. The SWB advises the Governor on workforce policy and the development and evaluation of the Workforce Development System (WDS), which includes other state agencies such as Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services along with the Community College System, University of Maine System, and Maine employers.

Allyson Coombs is the Director of Human Resources at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works and has been since May of 2020. Coombs has spent over 23 years of human resources experience working in various manufacturing and construction sectors including marine, transportation, power generation, industrial, and transmission & distribution. She has extensive knowledge of human resource activities, specifically project staffing, recruiting, training, and EEO compliance. This will be Coombs' second term on the State Workforce Board.

Jennifer Fullmer served as the Executive Director of Boots2Roots. Fullmer has 28 years of experience developing and leading high-performing and diverse U.S., interagency, international, and nonprofit teams. Her experience ranges from being Chief Operating Officer of the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East to building and running a successful nonprofit contributing to workforce solutions. This will be Fullmer's second term on the State Workforce Board where she serves as chair of the Worker, Employment, Education, and Training subcommittee.

Colleen Hilton, RN, BSN is a Senior Vice President of Northern Light Health and President of Northern Light Home Care & Hospice. Hilton is a registered nurse and is responsible for setting the vision, mission, and strategic direction of the organization. Colleen is a passionate advocate for home health and hospice. She is president of the Home Care Alliance of Maine Board of Directors. She is a member of the Organization of Maine Nurse Executives and has several professional advisory roles in healthcare. She has also served as the chair of the Cumberland District Public Health Council, advocating for public health throughout southern Maine. Hilton has served as President of Northern Light Home Care and Hospice since 2003. This will be Hilton's second term on the State Workforce Board.

John Leavitt is Business Manager, NH/ME/VT, for the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters and oversees business development for Carpenter Union Locals 349 and 352 across Northern New England. Leavitt has more than 40 years of experience in the construction industry. This will be Leavitt's second term on the State Workforce Board.

Al M. Harris is a Human Resources Manager for SAPPI North America. Harris is a human resources professional with a focus on strategic planning and business transformation. He came most recently from working in human resources for International Paper Company. This will be Harris' first term and appointment to the State Workforce Board.

Briana Warner is the CEO of Atlantic Sea Farms. As the CEO of Atlantic Sea Farms, she and her team have forged a new path for seaweed aquaculture in the US by working with fishermen to grow kelp as a climate change adaptation strategy - and building national demand for that kelp. Warner has followed a mission-driven path that brought her to kelp - including serving several tours as a diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service, starting and selling a wholesale bakery focused on employing newly resettled refugees, and creating the first Economic Development programming suite at the Maine-based Island Institute. This will be Warner's first term and appointment to the State Workforce Board.

Michael Tyler is the Managing Partner of Sandy River Company, a healthcare consulting and development firm based in Portland, Maine. The firm has developed projects in Maine and Massachusetts, including assisted living facilities designed and programmed to serve individuals with Alzheimer's. This will be Tyler's first term and appointment to the State Workforce Board.

Corinne Watson is the Founder and CEO of Tiny Homes of Maine. Watson started her career in manufacturing with Fairchild Semiconductor and then Smith & Wesson, where she learned the fundamentals of lean manufacturing, a process that creates efficiency. She returned to Southern Maine in 2012 to work as a process engineer at IDEXX. Corinne put her lean manufacturing expertise to work and began improving the manufacturing process and efficiencies of the company's small animal and livestock analyzer unit. Watson founded Tiny Homes of Maine to merge a passion for design and architecture with her manufacturing background into a purposeful business. This will be Watson's first term and appointment to the State Workforce Board.

Tuesdi Woodworth is the CFO of Front Street Shipyard. Woodworth has over twenty years of experience in the marine trade industry and understands challenges faced within the workforce. Her experience includes financial management, budgeting, and supervision of all office staff. This will be Woodworth's first term and appointment to the State Workforce Board.

Melissa Hue is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the City of Lewiston. Hue is the City of Lewiston's first-ever Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), coming on board in August 2021. The position was one of the main recommendations from Mayor Mark Cayer's Ad Hoc Equity & Diversity Committee that was established in 2020. Her primary focus has been creating and re-structuring policies to become equitable and inclusive for all in hopes of providing impactful systemic changes for marginalized communities. This will be Hue's first term and appointment to the State Workforce Board.

David J. Dunning, SPHR, SCP, is Vice President of Human Resources and Marketing for S. W. Cole Engineering, Inc. Dunning joined S. W. Cole in 1986 as a Laboratory Technician and, since then, has held the positions of Engineering Technician, and Environmental Scientist. David, who received a B.S. in environmental technology from Cornell University, has more than 25 years of experience in marketing and human resources. This will be Dunning's first term and appointment to the State Workforce Board.

Alexander Rodman Rogers is Founder and CEO of Grace Hospitality Associates, Inc. Rogers has 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry providing visionary strategic, fiscal, and operational leadership. He currently operates the Maine Evergreen Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection, which is a 76-room, upscale boutique hotel in Augusta. This will be Roger's first term and appointment to the State Workforce Board.